Question about Extension for CTC and Sensitive Reader

[Tiffini]

I SO love this year with Preparing Hearts! Thank you so much, again, Carrie, for all you are doing. I am really looking forward to meeting you and Julie in Cincy this year.

My 12 yo dd is a very sensitive soul. She internalizes things immediately that she sees and/or hears. She becomes fearful and upset very easily. While looking over my CTC manual for next year, I see that you recommend that sensitive readers listen to the History Read Alouds rather than do the Extension Pack. But, my dd will be a 13 yo 7th grader for CTC next year. Doesn't she need to be doing the Extension Pack? How would I beef up the basic material for her level without the Extension readings? She is a very strong reader and writer and I want to keep her challenged. What are your suggestions for this?

On the positive side, this same dd just finished the Bronze Bow. In the beginning, she did not want to keep reading it because some of the ideas of violence in it were upsetting to her. I had pre-read the book and felt that she should get through the parts that bothered her to get to the wonderful message of the book, so I had her keep reading. She finished it last week, and came up to me and said, "Mom, I think this is the best book I've ever read."

So, I'm wondering if I push her to read the harder things or do I protect her sensitive nature and not force her to read books that deal with topics and details that are upsetting to her. But with Carrie's disclaimer that sensitive readers do not read the Extension books with CTC, I'm concerned about having her read those books. Without pre-reading all of those books myself, how do I know how much she can handle? In your opinion, should a 13 yo be able to handle that level of exposure to those hard topics? Anyone else dealing with this?

[Tiffini]

Still hoping for some insight into this issue. I actually just chose to have my 12 yo dd stop reading Beorn the Proud today. It was just too violent for her with families being murdered and watching priests being thrown off towers to their death. I know these things happened in history, but she really has a hard time processing this kind of cruelty and it deeply affects her to where she has a hard time sleeping. I would appreciate others' opinions. Especially regarding CTC Extension Pack books. Thank you so much!

[Carrie]

Tiffini,

I would choose to have your daughter listen in on the Storytime History Interest set and omit the Extensions. This will actually work fine, as the History Interest Set selections will give a great feel for the time period and will also allow for discussion and/or screening of any needed passages.

In this scenario, you wouldn't need to work to add additional titles to replace the extension pack, as long as you were reading aloud the History Interest set and doing the accompanying activities. I think you'll find CTC very full.

The place to make sure that your daughter is being sufficiently challenged literature-wise in within Drawn into the Heart of Reading. As long as she is reading challenging titles in that area, you will be meeting your standards well and be preparing her well for future high school learning. I'd lean toward choosing the Girl Interest Set from CTC for use with DITHR (or that level of books of your own choosing). This will actually be a more important area to focus on than the Extension Pack as it will prepare her well for higher level literature study.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Tiffini]

Thank you, Carrie. That is actually exactly the way I was leaning - to read aloud the History set and have her read the Girl Interest set Independently. It helps so much to have your recommendation to reassure me that I'm heading in the right direction!